Dusting mop



Oct. 31, 1961 A, Ln'TLETON 3,006,011

DUSTING MOP Filed Aug. 18, 1958 INVENTOR. [00u/4. Z/r/*Lfro/v United States Patent O 3,006,011 DUSTHG MP Louis A. Littleton, Davis and Trenton Aves., Point leasant, NJ. Fires Aug. is, 195s, ser. Ne. 755,766 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-229) The present invention relates to cleaning implements and, more particularly, to an improved mop head construction of the so-called dry or dusting type.

Floor mops of the foregoing type now on the market generally comprise a mop head, a frame for mounting the mop head, a handle, and means for removably attaching the handle to the frame, which means may include a swivel joint to provide for universal movement between the mop head and the handle. The mop head is constructed of fabric, such as a pad or bundle of dust collecting strands, and includes a pocket for receiving the frame. The frame is formed of stiif wire and is somewhat larger than the pocket, so that it stretches the pocket slightly when it is inserted therein to retain the mop head on the frame while the mop is in use.

Such mop construction is popular because the mop head can be removed from the frame when it is soiled and, by reason of the absence of metallic parts, can be placed in a washing machine.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mop head which has all the attractive features and advantages of mop heads constructed in the above described manner but consists of fewer parts and is less expensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide such a mop head which eliminates the frame and other metallic parts likely to corrode.

A further object is to accomplish the foregoing in a simple, practical and economical manner.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claim, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. l is a plan View of a mop in accordance with the present invention with a portion of the mop head broken away and only the lower portion of the handle being shown.

FiG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 on FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 3 on FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the joint element apart from its socket and the mop handle.

FiG. 5 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating the manner in which the mop structure is Stitched prior to securernent to the base plate.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there is shown a mop which generally comprises a base plate having mop structure 11 secured thereto, a handle 12, and a universal joint 14 for removably attaching the mop head to the handle.

The base plate 10 is generally ogival but has a rounded front end or nose and in accordance with the present invention is constructed in a semi-rigid moldable plastic resin, such as polyethylene, polyvinyl, rubber and the like. Such material provides a substantially rigid base which is slightly bendable. For example, a base plate formed of polyethylene plastic resin having a thickness 3,006,011 Patented Oct. 31, 1951 of about 0.060 inch has been found suitable for use in practicing the invention.

The base plate preferably has a peripherally extending rib 15 on the top side thereof adjacently spaced from the peripheral edges of the base plate and having a height of about 0.25 inch. This rib serves to'stilfen the base plate and provide a marginal zone 16 for securing mop structure in an even manner as will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The base plate also has a generally spherical socket 17 on the top side at about the middle thereof which has an upwardly and rearwardly facing opening 19 and serves as an element of the joint 14. The opening 19 is equivalent in size to a circle having a diameter of about seven-eighths of the diameter of a one inch hollow sphere and is formed by cutting the hollow sphere in a plane perpendicular to a polar axis of the sphere which is inclined at about 20 to the vertical. In order to maintain the amountof material required to provide the socket, the lower hemisphere 20 depends from the base plate at its under side and the upper hemispherical portion 21 projects upwardly therefrom. The wall of the socket is semi-rigid to facilitate insertion and removal of a joint element 22 about to be described. For example, such structure is provided by making the base plate of polyethylene plastic resin with the wall of the socket having a thickness of about 0.060 inch, that is, about the same thickness as that of the base plate.

The joint element 22 comprises a plurality of circular discs 24 intersecting each other at their diameters with the disc members having about the same diameter as the interior of the socket. For example, two discs disposed at right angles to each other and having a thickness of about one-sixteenth of an inch may be employed. Such structure has the advantages of facilitating insertion and removal of the joint element because the socket is more readily stretched or deformed by engagement and application of force at points spaced apart for example, than by attempting to force a complete sphere into the socket opening. This arrangement also has the advantage that the mop head can be swiveled in all directions and yet be directed as desired because of the edge resistance of the discs on the socket wall.

The element 22 is further provided with a stem 25 in axial alignment with the line of intersection of the discs 24. This stem is provided with formations 26 which facilitate adhesively anchoring the stern in a hole 27 at the lower end of the mop handle, and has a ange 29 adapted to abut the lower end of the mop handle and be adhesively secured thereto. e

The element 22 preferably is formed by molding it of material similar to or the same as the base plate but not necessarily.

The mop structure 11 shown herein comprises a group of strands 30 at the periphery of the base plate and two rows of strands 31 between opposite side edges of the base plate and the socket.

As shown in FIG. 5, parallel strands are connected together by stitching 32 at the middle thereof. These strands are folded to double them up, as shown in FIG. 2, and are secured directly to the base plate by stitching 34 passing through the stitching 32. This is made possible because a sewing machine needle can readily penetrate the plastic resin. The stitching of the outer group of strands 30` is facilitated by the rib 1S which serves as a guide for properly positioning the strands on the top side of the marginal zone 16. The rows of strands 31 are attached to the underside of the base plate.

In use, the swivel element 22, now secured to the lower end of the handle 12, is inserted into the socket opening 19 to mount the discs 24 in the socket 17, whereby the handle 12 is attached to the mop head.

When the strands of the mop head become soiled the handle is detached by removing the swivel element 22 from the socket 19 and the mop head can then be washed. Since there are 'no metal parts which can be damaged or cause damage, the mop head can be washed in a household washingmachine.v In the event after several washings the strands are soiled to an extent that they cannot be washed clean or become frayed after considerablevuse of the mop, the mop head is replaced with a new one. The mop head construction is provided at suchlow cost that the plastic base plate is expendible.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the mop disclosed provides an improved swivel joint and mopvhead construction which enables the mop head to be manipulated with great ease and get into corners and under furniture evenif there is comparatively little space. By the selection and arrangement of elements, the parts of the rnop are reduced to a minimum and can be manufactured and assembled in an economical manner. The mop head is light in Weight but yet is sturdy in construction and can readily withstand such rough usage to which it may be normally subjected.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and Without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

A mop head comprising a base plate constructed of a semi-rigid moldable plastic resin and integrally formed with a generally centrally located socket on the top side thereof for universally receiving a joint element on a mop handle, said base plate and socket walls being of substantially the same thickness, mop structure, and stitching securing said mop structure to said base plate to provide a unitary, disposable mop head, said base plate having a rib on the top side adjacently spaced of the edges of the base plate and said mop structure being secured by stitching outwardly ofsaid rib.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,626,036 Higgins Apr. 26, 1927 2,256,752 Saurer Sept. 23, 1941 2,791,454 Saives May 7, 1957 2,825,914 Moss Mar. 11, 1958 2,880,025 Herbenar Mar. 31, 1959 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 102,928 Australia Jan. 7, 1937 736,847 Great Britain Sept. l0, 1955 1,145,047 France Apr. 29, 1957 

